19 January 2018

5 Tips To Be More Body Confident

Hands up if you ever compared yourself to the people you see on Instagram? Hands up if you have something you want to change about yourself? Hands up if you feel, or have ever felt, unconfident in your own skin? If we were in a room full of people and I asked you to turn around now, you would see everyone else has their hands up.

The reality is at some point in our lives we will hit a snag when it comes to being confident in our bodies. The reality is also that we are all beautiful people, and our quirks and imperfections make us who we are! Last year I really struggled to get to grips with getting older, seeing my body change, getting new marks, and wrinkles. I found myself feeling less and less confident day by day, hiding behind simple baggy clothes and not wanting to make a real effort with my hair and makeup. I was in a rut. And I think if you're reading this post, you may be or know somebody who is in a confidence rut too. It's natural to go through them from time to time especially since we are bombarded with perfection on social media, in magazines, and on TV.

There are many ways in which you can get your body confidence back and get out of this rut - I wanted to share the top 5 things I learn which help me feel better and love myself again. The simple changes you make to your thought process and routine are key!

1. Stop comparing yourself to others. You are not others - you are you. The biggest enemy to your self-confidence is spending hours on Instagram looking at likely edited bodies of models and influencers who's jobs are to look fit. Instead, take inspiration from your favourite accounts and set realistic goals for your own body and look. I realise that pinning my skin against the skin of a 15 year old girl is just stupid - no matter how much makeup I cake on, I have wrinkles which come with age. I'm growing to love them.

2. Give yourself a little TLC and pamper. I am super excited to have my teeth whitened and finally have that "Hollywood smile" this year. It's been something I wanted to do for ages and I think it will help me overcome a lot of confidence barriers I currently have. Same as sometimes as a pick me up I will go and have eyelash extensions done - it's a small cost to pay for looking and feeling great! It's pick me ups like that which can make a huge difference to your confidence - faking it isn't cheating, and let's face it that's how celebrities and influencers look as good as they do.

3. Use clever makeup. And by clever I mean makeup which will enhance your natural beauty - like lip plumping lip glosses. I love using them because they make my lips look big and full without big bills and the discomfort of having my lips done at a cosmetic clinic. My current favourite plumper is the Very Voluptuous Lip Plumper by Victorias Secret in Baby Pink - I bought this on the airplane when I was panicking about flying and it was the best impulse buy ever!

4. Try a different style. If you're hiding behind baggy jumpers and leggings why not go on a shopping trip and just try on clothes which you thought you could never wear - like a bodycon dress or flared trousers? Trying on different clothes will give you an idea of your body shape and what suits you best, and the truth is you will be surprised what you can get away with.

5. Do something about what you're unhappy with. As simple as it sounds, if you're unhappy with your weight change your diet and do some exercise. Whatever your pain point is when it comes to your body, you can change it - but only if that is what you want.

The key to being body confident is learning to love who you are, making the most of what nature gave you or finding ways to enhance it, and remembering that you are in control of your body. I always refer to these points when I'm feeling down in the gutter about one thing or another. It's too easy to feel negative and play the victim - but it feels better to be positive and be your own hero!